DIY & Home

DIY Cheap Flooring

Fresh flooring can add beauty and value to your home, but hardwoods and traditional stone or tile flooring can be very costly.

We’ve compiled some of the best ideas on the web for DIY flooring solutions. Many of these flooring materials will outlast a standard linoleum floor, and most are far more affordable than traditional flooring options. Some can even be found or gathered for free!

Brown Paper Bag Floor

From: www.lovelycraftyhome.com

LovelyCraftyHome.com and DomesticImperfection.com have both posted very thorough articles on how to create your own flooring using an incredibly affordable material (Brown Paper). These floors have a beautiful, rustic appearance and are about as durable as linoleum. Brown paper may be one of the most affordable DIY flooring solutions.

River Rock Floor

In her YouTube video, mossisawesome details how to lay your own flooring using grout and smooth river rocks. She refinishes her entryway floor with a lot of effort, but very little cost (only $68.50). This flooring technique is probably more durable than paper bag flooring, but is very labor intensive.

Penny Floor

From: www.notcot.com

The penny floor has a rustic but modern look. This is not the most affordable DIY option (Penny floors will cost about as much per square foot as an affordable ceramic tile). But, if you love this look, penny floors are well worth the effort. You can find a tutorial on making your own penny floors at adetailedhouse.com.

Pallet Floor

From: abuildingweshallgo.blogspot.co.uk

Materials for building a pallet floor are extremely affordable. Pallets can often be found for free! However, building a pallet floor is not only labor intensive, but requires some very advanced (and expensive) tools. If you already have access to a table saw, planer and sander, pallet flooring may be the most affordable flooring option. If you don’t, the purchase of these tools may make this project a very expensive undertaking.

Mud Floor (or Adobe Earth Floor)

From: www.small-scale.net/yearofmud/

Adobe floors have traditionally been installed in cob or earthen homes, but mud floors have started to gain popularity in suburban homes as well. Installing an adobe floor requires patience and a lot of effort, but can be a very affordable and beautiful flooring option.

Some downsides to earthen floors include cracking during drying, staining and scratching. Large cracks can be patched, but some people actually prefer the rustic look of smaller cracks. Mud floors can stain (similar to cement flooring) but some staining may actually add to the aesthetic of this flooring option.

Wood Disc Floor

Wood disc or wood circle flooring is a fairly new experiment. There are very few tutorials and little direction on the internet for executing this flooring type, however the finished product is both beautiful and very achievable.

Wood Disc floors are constructed with circular discs that are cut from log ends and allowed to dry well (drying should be done in the room the flooring will be installed in for best results). These discs are glued to the floor and then grouted with a dark epoxy. After grout dries, a clear coat of designer epoxy is applied over the entire surface.

Plywood Floor

From: www.layers-of-learning.com

Plywood can give you that rustic hardwood floor look, at a significantly lower price than finished hardwood. A table saw is a must for this flooring method, but is well worth the investment.

www.Layers-of-Learning.com was kind enough to post a full tutorial on installing plywood hardwood flooring, and their results are fabulous!

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